Gas detector



Marh 1930. R, KRAUs' 1,751,279

GAS DETECTOR Filed Aug. 27, 1929 2 SheellS-SheeI l vw 00 f5 9% 39a --QQZ f3 27 f6' 36' 40 20 9a 9 @nu I M3 7PM/@fab Maw INVENTOR' ATTORN EY wVrNEss:

March 18, 1930.

R. KRAUS GAS DETECTOR 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed, Aug. 27, 1929 INVENTOF ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 18, `19:?0

RUDOLPH .KRAUSt OF WHITESTONE, NEW YORK GAS DETECTOR Application led August 27, 1929.

This invention relates to improvements in gas detectors and alarm signal sounding devices, for automatically detecting the presence of gas in a living or working room, and

'then sounding an audible signal, which will be automatically repeated for a prolonged period of time, until a person responds to the signal and rests the mechanism, after stoppingthe gas leakage.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a device which will have a positive action in detecting the presence of gas, as gas leaking from a stove jet or other device, by drawing or guiding the gaseous contents of a part and preferablyy of several parts of a room, and by the Vaid of the same causing a small flame to be produced by the gas, so as to release a signalling mechanism, preferably one normally restrained from operation by a combustible cord located over the path of the flame `generated by the escaping gas, or by an equivalent, as a fusible element or other element or means deformable, destroyable or actuable Vby an abnormal thermal condition in its vicinity.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be hereinafter specifically pointed out, or will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the above indicated objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel construction andcombination and arrangement of parts, clearly described in the following specification and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which latter show an embodiment of the invention as atl present preferred.

In the drawings: c l

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete 4U mechanism, with the side plate of the casing removed. Y

Figure 2 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a detail view in section of the spark producing drum and flame generator, taken on line 3 3 ofFigure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of the casing.

Vend of which pierces the casing 5 and is suitay 10o Serial N'o. 388,795.V

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in detail, 5 designates a casing, the cover wall 6 of which may be removed. In this casing a gear train is mounted, and this c0nsists of the four main gears 7, 8, 9 and 10. The gear 7 is supported by its Vstaff 7L for rotation on the bearing support or frame 11, carried by the casing 5, and the usual main spring 7C is mounted against the side of the gear, to be wound'loy the key 7d. The gear 7 meshes with the gear 8 whichvis supported 'upon the shaft 8b,`also rotating in bearings of the framell. This gear 8 is provided with a pinion gear 8a, which is in mesh with -the gear 9, supported for rotation by its sta 9a upon the frame 11. This gear 9 carries a pinion gear 9a, which meshes with the gearV 10. Tn general construction this gear train follows well known practice.

The gear 8 is provided with a laterally striking pin 8', which is designed to repeatedly engage and tilt the lever 12, which is pivoted at 12a to rock against the tension of the pull spring 12b. This lever is provided on its forwardV and upper endr with an angular v arm 13 on which the spring 14 is mounted.

from the casing 5 by the horizontal arm 20. Y

A ratchet wheel 21 is mounted on the outside of this drum, to be engaged and interj Vmittently moved by the pawl 22, which is` pivoted at 23 to the lever 12.

To the gear 10 a pitman 24 is provided at one end and at the other is pivoted to the con-v necting clip or bracket 25, mounted on the movable wall or member 26 of a bellows 27, the Xed wall or member 28 of which is snp-k ported by the air intake pipe 29, the forward bly clamped thereto.

Fromthis bellows the conduit 30rises and communicates with the bulbous member 3l, the open upper end of which extends into the abrasive drum 18. Each time the gear l0 makes a revolution the pitman closes and then opensthe bellows, so that air from the outside is sucked through the intake pipe 29 and forced into the conical drum 18. 'A

Each time theV gear 8 makes one revolution theY striking pin 8 thereof will rock the level' l2, so that a spark willbe produced by the action of the ceric iron tip against the abrasive surface of the rotating drurnl8f-- ported at one end tothe hook or fastener 33' carried by the casing 5 and at the other end is connected to the spring bar 34, the lower endv of whichis lixed to the casing at 34a. To this spring bar a link 35 is pivoted atits upper end, its lower end'having a hook to engage the pitman 24. The combustible cord 3 2 is supported immediately above the cone 18 and whenpthe flame `is generated the cord will be consumed or weakened to allow the tension ofthe springbar or arm'34 to break it, thuslifting the link 35 and causing its hook 36 to pull against the pitman 24, the forward end of which has a'lateralslot 24 to permit it being disengaged from its ,forward pivotal `connection wth the bellows. This will render the bellows inoperative. The spring bar 34V `also carries a pendantlink 34a.

At the same time the pendant link 37, carried by the spring bar, 34, and equipped with i terminal hook 381,`will engage the sparking lever 12, tilting it upon its pivot, so that its flower endv will be shifted out of theY circular path ofthe striking pin of the gear, 8, thus preventing any further production of Sparks;

-Whenthis action takes placethe terminal portion 39a o f the `spring ,39, which is fixed at Aone end to theV casing V5, willA force the upper end of the signal lever 40, which is norf tna'll-y elevated above the bell 41, into engageE `Vment with' saidbellandbring therear end of'said leverint'oytheY circular path of theV series o f pins 9 on the side of the gear 9.; the link 34a whichknormallyrestrains the lever -lO'being elevated'out vof the way. This will "result Ainthe signalY lever being repeatedly rocked upon itsjpivot', against the pressure exerted by 'the,weighted striking terminal or clapper 40af`of saidsignal lever, thusjpro'duc- .einge-series of audible signal impulses separ-V rated from each other by short intervals of time.

The gear 10 is equipped with bevel gear teeth 10 which drives the bevel pinion 42 on the vertical shaft 43, which is supported at its lower end by the bearing 44, carried by the casing 5. The upper end of this shaft, which is shown broken for simplicity of illustration, carries an exhaust fan 45, which operates in an exhaust hood 46, supported within the casing 5, upon theexhaust conduit or pipe 47. Y I An additional air pipe 48 discharges into the casing immediately above the flame Zone, and extends to apont in the open air, to afford oxygen for' combustion.

A check valve 49 is provided in the bellows for preventing the reverse flow of air conV tained in the extended bellows, so that it will be forcedupwardly, and also to prevent back? tire of the ignited gas. Another and similar check valve 48a is provided at the discharge flame' will not be communicated to the air in the room outside of the casing. Q

Itis apparent from this description and the drawings' that whenever any inflammableA gas is forced into the cup-like member 18, ignition will immediately take place, by reasonof the constantly active vsparking tip whichMv works against the wall ofthe drum or meinl f ber 18. This will produce a lflame, which will. release the shift links-35 and 37, interrupa en d of the auxiliary fresh air pipe 48, so that ingwthe 'automatic action of the blower andy-v` igniter, and set `in'motionfthe intermittent icoA operation of the audible signal, which ,will send an alarm ythroughout the home'or ybuild Y ing, and continue to operate .until the power,

of the main springhas become eXha-usted'or'f a person responda-stops the gas leak and sets the `combinedgas `'detector andcsi-gnal Afor vsubsequent operation." The main spring may be cacity, so as'to drive the mechanismfor oneA day or as much as a kweekor more, withfaV4 single complete winding; while the speed? of of any power carotation,l and the number of pins or studs 91 and their spacing (if yaplurality) on gear 9,- of course, may be such! as to give the alarma any intervals predetermined."

The vhereinbefore described construction admits of considerablev modifications without departing from the invention; therefore, -I do not wish tobe'limited to the precise arrangements shown4 and described, which are, as aforesaid,by way of illustration merely.y In other words, the scope of protection 'con-` templated is to be ,taken solely Vfrom the-ap Y.

pended claims, interpreted as'broadly-'asis consistent with the' prior art. f i I claim Yas new -r 1 ,A1gas`detector having means for pro# ducing intermittently igniting sparks, m'jeans for causingia gas charged movementof air finthe path of the sparksso produced,ani l means released by the generation of a flame by gas flowed in the path of said sparks for producing an audible signal.

2. A gas detector consisting of a closed casing, means for causing air from the outside to flow through the casing, means for producing a series of sparks in the path of the air flowed into the casing, an intermittent signal, and means controlling the signal and adapted to be actuated when a flame is produced in the zone of the sparks.

3. A gasdetector consisting of a closed casing, means for causing air from the outside to flow into the casing, means for producing a series of intermittent sparks in the path of air admitted to the casing from said means, and 'means for interrupting the action of the second named means when a flame is started from gas charged air admitted to the casing by said first means.

l. A combined gas detector and signa-l consisting of a closed casing, an air Vmoving means for causing air to flow into the casing, means for operating said means, means for producing intermittent sparksin the path of air admitted by said first named means to the casing, a signal, and means for actuating the signal releasable by al flame generated by said sparking means from said gas charged air admitted to the casing.

5. A gas detector comprising a casing, an intermittent spark producing mechanism therein, a blower for causing gas charged air to move into the casing in the path of said spark producing mechanism, and a signal adapted to be set in operation when a flame is generated by said spark producing mechanism from gas charged air admitted to the casing.

6. A gas detector consisting of a casing, an intermittent spark producing mechanism, an intermittent signal producing mechanism, a gear train arranged to alternately operate the two mechanisms, means for maintaining the signal mechanism normally inactive and the sparkproducing mechanism normally active, and a combustible element for restraining said last means.

7. In a gas detector the combination of a continuously operating clock train, an intermittent alarm operable thereby, an igniter, means operable by said clock train for intermittently operating said igniter, means operable by said clock train for intermittently supplying an air and gas mixture to said igniter, and flame controlled means for disabling said igniter and said supplying means, and being also effective to set in motion said intermittent alarm.

8. In a gas detector the combination of a continuously operating clock train, an igniter operable by said clock train, means operable by said clock train for periodically supplying an air and gas mixture to said igniter, flame controlled means for disabling said igniter and said supplying means, said means in cluding a spring operated lever and an element destroyable by heat, and means controlled by said disabling means for setting in motion an alarm.

9. In a gas detector the combination of a continuously operating clock train, a rockable lever, an igniter carried by said lever, an abrasive member cooperating with said igniterv and adapted Vto be rotated intermittently by the operation of said rockablelever, a bellows intermittently operated by said clock train and adapted to be disabled, an intermittent signal mechanism, and means including a combustible element for disabling said igniter and said bellows, said disabling means when operated to disable said bellows and said igniter acting to set in motion said intermittent signal mechanism for sounding an alarm.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

RUDOLPH KRAUS. 

